Only on ABC-7: El Paso prepares to compete in Warrior Games

The Warrior Games 2016 opening ceremony is getting underway in West Point, New York Wednesday night.

El Pasoan Master Sgt. Shawn Vosburg (Ret.) is preparing to represent his hometown. This is his first competition, after watching the 2015 games from the bleachers.

“I’ll be competing in shooting, air rifle prone, air rifle standing and archery,” Vosburg said. “I’m also an alternate for shot-put and discus from the seated position, and I’m an alternate for seated volleyball and wheelchair basketball.”

The sheer number of competitions doesn’t convey that Vosburg has been struggling to overcome major injuries to his leg and back. The injuries, sustained while deployed and in a car crash in 2008, ultimately forced him to retire from the U.S. Army in Nov. 2015 after 29 years.

“When I finished my last deployment and was injured, and was told I was going to retire, I thought, ‘What do I do next?'” Vosburg said. “This is the next thing. And it gives you something to do so you’re not stuck in that dark place.”

Training for the Warrior Games also served as a reminder to Vosburg that even off the battlefield, he is not alone.

“You get to talk to somebody else who’s been through it, or is going through it, and we all help each other that way,” Vosburg said. “This gives me a way to still connect with soldiers and other vets, to complete our lives and make us better human beings in general.”

Vosburg will be taking part in the archery competition starting on Friday.

When he’s not competing, Vosburg is pursuing his master’s degree in social work at UTEP. He just finished his first semester and is looking forward to helping veterans once he graduates.